Scott DesJarlais addresses past marital troubles, political future

Scott DesJarlais addresses past marital troubles, political future

November 21st, 2012by The Knoxville News Sentinel in Local - Breaking News

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais

Photo by
The Knoxville News Sentinel
/Times Free Press.

CHATTANOOGA - U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais said today he never intentionally misled voters about his past and stressed that he has no plans to resign over recent revelations that depict a private life starkly at odds with his public image as an anti-abortion, family values congressman.

In his first extensive remarks since the release of a court transcript from his 14-year-old divorce, the Jasper Republican conceded that he often used "very poor judgment" during his first marriage and the lengthy separation that followed.

But DesJarlais said he is not the same man who supported his first wife's decision to have two abortions. The physician-turned-congressman said he also deeply regrets sexual relationships with multiple women, including two patients, three co-workers and a drug company representative while he was chief of staff at Grandview Medical Center in Jasper.